General Election Day Twenty Three: Tesco

Good to visit Tesco Distribution Centre today. It is a huge plant serving most of the South East of England. I was able to chat and meet with workers and discuss a range of policy issues from immigration to taxes. It was a very hot day, so it was somewhat refreshing to walk around a vast human fridge, almost the size of a football pitch.

The centre is run like a vast military operation with huge lorries and fork lift trucks wherever you look. There are infinite crates of fresh produce, all marked via computerisation for their various destinations. It really makes you think of the complexity of supermarkets and the millions of pounds that are spent organising the logistics.

This Plant has around 640 employees, many of whom are from Harlow. Tesco is clearly an important asset to our town. That is why we need to support local businesses by cutting red tape, lowering business taxes and not raising National Insurance Contributions - Labour's tax on jobs that could threaten our recovery. Harlow should be a magnet for big investment from companies like Tesco - and a welcome climate for small businesses too.